Marion helps some poor homeowners pay assessments

Published: Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 7:11 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 7:11 p.m.

Advocates of Amendment 11 have been trying to label some Marion County commissioners as lackeys for the wealthy, juxtaposing their support for financial incentives for big companies locating in Ocala to their reluctance to back a property tax break for a small group of low-income seniors locally.

Despite the insistence by commission Chairwoman Kathy Bryant that the issue was settled as far as the board was concerned, proponents of the tax break vow to continue fighting for it.

But as that plays out, it might be useful to recall that a precedent exists for helping poor residents handle the cost of government.

In June 1990, the County Commission enacted a program to help "economically disadvantaged" low-income homeowners pay assessments that were not part of their regular property taxes.

The ordinance establishing the program pointed out that such relief was necessary because the board at the time had determined that some homeowners could not pay the assessments "without substantial impairment of the owner's ability to support himself or herself and his or her dependents."

Commissioners back then also noted that people who could not pay the assessments faced losing their homes. And that made it in the "best interests" of the county to assist those residents.

Contemporary homeowners in unincorporated Marion now pay $268 a year for programs dedicated to fire protection, solid waste disposal and programs to improve water quality.

That's on top of their property taxes and any charges they might pay if they happen to live in one of the special tax districts scattered around the county, where residents pay extra for services such as road paving, street lighting or recreation.

Under the 1990 program, the county would pay assessments unrelated to property taxes for qualified, struggling homeowners.

Homeowners are eligible if their household income is at or below the official poverty level set by the federal government and if they have an existing homestead exemption on a house that sits on 3 acres or less.

The county's law defines income not only as wages, but also child support, alimony, Social Security or veterans benefits, workers' compensation payments, pensions or "contributions from any source."

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the 2013 federal poverty level that applies across the country — except for Alaska and Hawaii — is an annual income of $23,550 for a family of four. For a family of just two, that threshold is $15,510.

Given that, the county's eligibility guidelines are rigorous.

A single parent making minimum wage and supporting one child, for example, with no other outside help or assets would automatically be disqualified from the program. Such a worker, paid at Florida's minimum wage of $7.79 an hour, would make $16,203 a year.

A senior couple whose income depends solely on Social Security also would probably not make the cut.

The Social Security Administration reports that the average worker's retirement benefit in 2012 was $1,230 a month — or about $14,760 a year. That comes to $29,520 a year for a couple.

Such standards may help explain why Marion County's program does not appear to be widely used.

According to county records, 208 homeowners applied in 2010, 138 sought help in 2011 and 117 filed last year. Many of those were repeat applicants.

On average, about three of every five applicants is approved for the program.

The rest, the county report says, are rejected because their income is above the qualifying threshold, they failed to adequately complete the request, or they died, lived out of state or did not own the property.

People who are denied may appeal to the County Commission.

When the program started in 1990, most residents of unincorporated Marion paid just two assessments: for fire protection and solid waste disposal. Combined, they came to about $100 a year. At the time only five subdivisions had standing, localized assessments that were paid in addition to those fees, according to county records.

The charges in those communities generally ran about $30 to $35 a year, although one was as high as $150.

Assessments Department Director Myra Tedder said she is unsure why more people don't apply.

To boost awareness, she said, the county began notifying people about the program in the annual TRIM notice, the advisory each landowner receives with an estimate of the coming year's property tax rates.

Still, the applicant pool did not increase significantly, Tedder said.

Bruce Seaman, coordinator of Awake Marion, a coalition of local groups fighting for adoption of Amendment 11, said it was difficult to understand how anyone could afford a home with such limited means.

But such a precedent as the 1990 initiative indicates the county is willing to help poorer residents, he added.

"Amendment 11 is a little more generous, as to who can qualify. But it's still a very small number of people who can qualify, and it's a very small amount that's going to come off the tax rolls.

"This (existing) program only accentuates the absurdity of not having (Amendment 11). It's not a giveaway for people who don't need it. It's for people who are struggling."

<p>Advocates of Amendment 11 have been trying to label some Marion County commissioners as lackeys for the wealthy, juxtaposing their support for financial incentives for big companies locating in Ocala to their reluctance to back a property tax break for a small group of low-income seniors locally.</p><p>Despite the insistence by commission Chairwoman Kathy Bryant that the issue was settled as far as the board was concerned, proponents of the tax break vow to continue fighting for it.</p><p>But as that plays out, it might be useful to recall that a precedent exists for helping poor residents handle the cost of government.</p><p>In June 1990, the County Commission enacted a program to help "economically disadvantaged" low-income homeowners pay assessments that were not part of their regular property taxes.</p><p>The ordinance establishing the program pointed out that such relief was necessary because the board at the time had determined that some homeowners could not pay the assessments "without substantial impairment of the owner's ability to support himself or herself and his or her dependents."</p><p>Commissioners back then also noted that people who could not pay the assessments faced losing their homes. And that made it in the "best interests" of the county to assist those residents.</p><p>Contemporary homeowners in unincorporated Marion now pay $268 a year for programs dedicated to fire protection, solid waste disposal and programs to improve water quality.</p><p>That's on top of their property taxes and any charges they might pay if they happen to live in one of the special tax districts scattered around the county, where residents pay extra for services such as road paving, street lighting or recreation.</p><p>Under the 1990 program, the county would pay assessments unrelated to property taxes for qualified, struggling homeowners.</p><p>Homeowners are eligible if their household income is at or below the official poverty level set by the federal government and if they have an existing homestead exemption on a house that sits on 3 acres or less.</p><p>The county's law defines income not only as wages, but also child support, alimony, Social Security or veterans benefits, workers' compensation payments, pensions or "contributions from any source."</p><p>According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the 2013 federal poverty level that applies across the country — except for Alaska and Hawaii — is an annual income of $23,550 for a family of four. For a family of just two, that threshold is $15,510.</p><p>Given that, the county's eligibility guidelines are rigorous.</p><p>A single parent making minimum wage and supporting one child, for example, with no other outside help or assets would automatically be disqualified from the program. Such a worker, paid at Florida's minimum wage of $7.79 an hour, would make $16,203 a year.</p><p>A senior couple whose income depends solely on Social Security also would probably not make the cut.</p><p>The Social Security Administration reports that the average worker's retirement benefit in 2012 was $1,230 a month — or about $14,760 a year. That comes to $29,520 a year for a couple.</p><p>Such standards may help explain why Marion County's program does not appear to be widely used.</p><p>According to county records, 208 homeowners applied in 2010, 138 sought help in 2011 and 117 filed last year. Many of those were repeat applicants.</p><p>That's out of 117,875 residential units — single-family and mobile homes — in unincorporated Marion.</p><p>On average, about three of every five applicants is approved for the program.</p><p>The rest, the county report says, are rejected because their income is above the qualifying threshold, they failed to adequately complete the request, or they died, lived out of state or did not own the property.</p><p>People who are denied may appeal to the County Commission.</p><p>When the program started in 1990, most residents of unincorporated Marion paid just two assessments: for fire protection and solid waste disposal. Combined, they came to about $100 a year. At the time only five subdivisions had standing, localized assessments that were paid in addition to those fees, according to county records.</p><p>The charges in those communities generally ran about $30 to $35 a year, although one was as high as $150.</p><p>Assessments Department Director Myra Tedder said she is unsure why more people don't apply.</p><p>To boost awareness, she said, the county began notifying people about the program in the annual TRIM notice, the advisory each landowner receives with an estimate of the coming year's property tax rates.</p><p>Still, the applicant pool did not increase significantly, Tedder said.</p><p>Bruce Seaman, coordinator of Awake Marion, a coalition of local groups fighting for adoption of Amendment 11, said it was difficult to understand how anyone could afford a home with such limited means.</p><p>But such a precedent as the 1990 initiative indicates the county is willing to help poorer residents, he added.</p><p>"Amendment 11 is a little more generous, as to who can qualify. But it's still a very small number of people who can qualify, and it's a very small amount that's going to come off the tax rolls.</p><p>"This (existing) program only accentuates the absurdity of not having (Amendment 11). It's not a giveaway for people who don't need it. It's for people who are struggling."</p><p><i>Contact Bill Thompson at 867-4117 or bill.thompson@starbanner.com.</i></p>